Snacking

by Pat
(NYC)

I think that one of the things that really contributes to HBP is snacking or grabbing food on the go.

So, I try and carry healthy snacks - mixed nuts, granola bars, fruits (apples, pears,
berries, hummus and veggies). These quick and easy snacks help me stay on track!

Thanks again for a useful and informative newsletter. Keep up the good work and Happy New
Year everyone.


Response from Info On High Blood Pressure.com

Thank you Pat for your comments. You are doing great and your snacks are delicious. I especially love hummus which is chickpeas that has lots of fiber.

What you eat has a profound affect on your life and of course high blood pressure a silent killer.

Weight loss, a well balanced diet that includes lots of veggies and exercise are all a must to lowering your blood pressure.

So eating healthy snacks is great, because it also helps to keep your blood sugar balanced and revs up your metabolism.

Mixed nuts can be high in calories. I input different types of nuts into my Lose It calorie count calculator and was surprised on the calories. If I had continued snacking on nuts I would start adding weight.

Even though fruits are healthy, you have to watch the sugar count and eat no more than two serving of fruits per day.

Remember these secret.

For every 2.2 pounds of weight loss your blood pressure drops lowering your systolic and diastolic numbers. So if your blood pressure was say 135/85 and you lose 11 pounds, then your blood pressure will drop to 130/80.

Here is how to calculate your own ideal weight.

If you are a woman, being 5 feet tall you would weigh 100 pounds, then add 5 pounds for every inch over 5 feet. So if you are 5 feet 3 inches your ideal weight should be 115 pounds or within a weight range of 104 to 126 pounds.

For a man at 5 feet tall start with 106 pounds and add 6 pounds for every inch over 5 feet. Again if a man is 5 foot 6 inch, ideal weight should be about 142 pounds, within a weight range of 128 to 156 pounds.

You see how important it is to lose weight. So keep up your snacking habits it revs up your metabolism, helping you to lose weight and lower your high blood pressure.

Good luck and please write again.